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Leanne Morgan‘s Netflix show is giving Us Reba flashbacks — which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
After getting her start in stand-up comedy, Morgan used her stand-up material as inspiration for her sitcom. The first season, which also starred Kristen Johnston, Celia Weston, Blake Clark, Ryan Stiles and Graham Rogers, followed a woman from Tennessee who found herself starting over after her husband left her for another woman.
“This is something I’ve dreamed of since I was a little girl, and it was just as exciting as I imagined,” Morgan told Netflix’s Tudum at the time. “Learning a new medium was definitely a challenge — memorizing new scripts every week was totally new for me — but I loved it. As a stand-up, the comedic timing felt natural, and filming in front of a live audience was especially comfortable. By the end of the season, it really felt like home.”
While Leanne introduced new story lines, the basic premise had some similarities to Reba, which aired from 2001 to 2007. The hit show from the country superstar followed a single mom (McEntire) who had to start over after her husband, Brock (Christopher Rich), left her for his dental hygienist, Barbra Jean (Melissa Peterman). Reba attempted to move on while raising her kids — including her pregnant teen daughter (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) and boyfriend Van (Steve Howey).
Keep scrolling for the biggest similarities between Reba and Leanne:
Starting Over After a Divorce
Leanne picked up mere hours (or days?) after her husband, Bill, told her that he was leaving her for another woman, Faye. McEntire’s show went through a similar timeline with the pilot starting amid Reba’s — unsuccessful — final attempt to save her and Brock’s marriage.
New Living Arrangements
Brock leaving his home with Reba didn’t mean she didn’t have a full house with their three kids and Van. After Bill left Leanne, she had her sister move in so she wouldn’t be alone.
A Surprise Pregnancy
McEntire’s sitcom immediately revealed that Brock’s girlfriend, Barbra Jean, was expecting a baby. For Leanne, it took a few episodes for the pregnancy reveal and it came at the worst time since Leanne was thinking about taking Bill back.
The Dental Connection
Speaking of similarities with the other woman, Barbra Jean met Brock when she was hired (by Reba) to be his dental hygienist at his medical office. Leanne also inadvertently set Bill up by finding him a last-minute dentist: Faye.
Kids Expanding Their Families
In season 1 of Reba, Cheyenne welcomed her and Van’s daughter, Elizabeth. Leanne’s son, Tyler, meanwhile, became a dad of two. (Fun fact: both shows ended their first season with a scene where the main character was talking to her new grandchild.)
Getting Physical
While Leanne slapped Bill after he left her, Reba got more creative and hit Brock with a fake baby during a lamaze class.
Fans tuning into Leanne Morgan’s sitcom, Leanne, should gear up for a lot of jokes surrounding weight and body image. The first season follows a woman from Tennessee who finds herself starting over after her husband leaves her for another woman. The show is inspired by Morgan’s stand-up comedy. “Leanne uses humor to cope,” Morgan […]
Southern Charm
Leanne is set in Knoxville, Tennessee, while Reba was centered around a family in Houston, Texas. Both Leanne and Reba weathered having their personal lives turned into small town gossip.
Returning to Dating
Both Leanne and Reba were convinced to get back out there after their respective divorces. Leanne went out with her sister, Carol, to a bar and later found love with an FBI agent. Reba didn’t have a long-term relationship but her connections with Brian (Brian Collins) and Dr. Morgan (James Denton) were her most notable ones.
Near-Death Experience
A car crash made Reba worry about Cheyenne and Van’s will and Leanne ended up in a similar situation after Mary (Jayma Mays) hit her and Carol.
Hot Pastor
Remember when Barbra Jean had a crush on a hot pastor a.k.a Reverend Yummy Pants (Patrick Fabian) — who was interested in Reba? Carol also crossed paths with an attractive religious man later in the season.
Delivering a Baby
Leanne helped Faye deliver a baby with her ex-husband, which is similar to Reba being in Barbra Jean’s delivery room.
